What Price Free Schools? The Continued Insidious Privatisation of UK State Education
FORUM - ISSN 0963-8253
Volume 55 Number 3 (2013)
What Price Free Schools? The Continued Insidious Privatisation of UK State Education
DAVID KITCHENER pages 407-414
DOI: 10.2304/forum.2013.55.3.407
Abstract
A review of American charter schools and Swedish free-school research is outlined, providing strong evidence that both free-market models are flawed in their claims of enhancing young people's educational experience. A substantial body of work is included that strongly indicates charter and free schools increase social segregation and lower educational attainment. It is also agued that the rationale for and commitment to competition undermines cooperation between schools and reinforces class differentiation, suggesting the view that the model facilitates choice is erroneous. It is also argued its inception in the UK is, like the academies model, driven by a narrow ideological stance and should be replaced by a non-selective, state-funded, comprehensive school model accessible to all.
To cite this article
DAVID KITCHENER (2013) What Price Free Schools? The Continued Insidious Privatisation of UK State Education, FORUM, 55(3), 407-414. https://doi.org/10.2304/forum.2013.55.3.407